Sustainability Studies Courses

Course Descriptions

Sustainability Studies students must complete two core courses and 4 elective courses.

Electives can be taken from SUS designated courses as well as approved courses offered by other departments.

Two electives must be numbered 300 or higher and may not count toward major requirements. The remaining two electives may be at any level and MAY count toward major requirements.

Required Courses

SUS101: Principles of Sustainability 3 Credits

This course focuses on the fundamental principles of sustainability, providing a larger context for the topics covered in the elective courses. Topics covered include: What is Sustainability?, Climate Change and Environmental Challenges, Systems Thinking/Systems Analysis, "Natural" Systems and Function, Human Interactions with Natural Systems, and Ethics and Values.

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SUS202: Topics in Sustainability

3 credits

A multidisciplinary introduction to sustainability, defined as balancing present human needs and desires against the future's capacity to support human needs and desires. Faculty and students from various disciplines will explore current and alternative social systems through the lens of a single topic. Topics will change depending on the participating faculty. Past topics include Food, Water, Consumption, Campus Biodiversity, and Green Architecture. May be repeated with change of topic.

SUS450: Advanced Seminar Sustainability

3 credits

An integration study of concepts from various fields in sustainability. Students will critically review how individuals and/or institutions apply knowledge relating to sustainable best practice to restore and enhance natural, human, and financial capital and to create intergenerational value and well-being.

Elective Courses

Sustainability Studies minors must complete 12 elective credits, at least six of which must be numbered 300 or higher. Electives courses include all courses with the "SUS" prefix and approved courses offered in other departments.